


before/during/after

by wakandawinterprincess



Category: Black Panther (2018), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, they start as friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:42:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23504794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wakandawinterprincess/pseuds/wakandawinterprincess
Summary: There’s three parts to any story. The before, the during, and the after.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Shuri, James "Bucky" Barnes/Shuri
Comments: 14
Kudos: 38





	before/during/after

**Author's Note:**

> This is an experimental piece, made up from snippets of old drafts. So, bear with me. Thanks!

Tony’s funeral is a bittersweet affair. 

Like his father before him, the man had really known  _ everyone _ .

But Bucky hadn’t anticipated  _ this _ : literal  _ hours _ on hours of mingling and chatter. 

In fairness:most of the attendees eye him with some level of suspicion. 

He doesn’t blame them, really. He probably would, too.

Still, he finds himself making small talk with several of them. 

Rhodey. Nebula. Wanda. Valkyrie. To name a few.

Mostly, though, he stays near Sam.

They’ve formed a quiet rapport of sorts. He’s not sure when it happened, exactly, but it did.

Sam discusses their new upcoming mission in hushed tones. 

Talks about Steve’s leads, the intel gathered thus far.

(He doesn’t know about Steve’s  _ true _ plans, of course.)

After returning the Infinity Stones. After making things  _ right _ .

Bucky  _ will _ tell him. He’ll have to explain it all, after the fact. 

But not today. Today, he just smiles and nods and works to move on.

* * *

The last one he talks to is the princess.  _ Shuri _ .

Something about her right now that reminds him of himself. 

From another time. Another life.

Her dress and hair and makeup are not so different from his uniform, after all. A different type of armor, nay,  _ protection _ . In its own way.

“Are you leaving me,  _ Ingcuka _ ?”

The words are meant to be teasing,  _ playful _ even, but he doesn’t miss the tinge of sadness in her voice. 

She and her brother have done far too much for him. Far more than he’s  _ ever _ deserved.

His silence is answer enough. She sighs at that.

“Well. Any idea how long you will be away?” she murmurs.

He  _ has _ to be honest with her. She deserves that, at least.

“It’s difficult to know,” he admits.

(It will likely be a long,  _ long _ time.)

For a moment, her face is unreadable.

But then she steps into his space. Leans in, and kisses his cheek.

For one moment, there’s just her and her scent. And everything is suddenly so  _ very _ still. 

“Don’t be gone too long.” she whispers, and he knows that’s a  _ command _ , not a request.

He nods.  _ Of course _ . 

Shuri steps back. Smiles, for real now, and _wow_ , he can't help but think, she's so _beautiful_.

(When did she become so beautiful?)

“And don’t get in too much trouble, either.” she adds, breaking him out of his thoughts. “I will  **_not_ ** be replacing any other body parts for you, Barnes.”

He laughs at that. A real, full laugh, the first one he’s had in ages.

“Noted.” he agrees, and that's his promise to her.

* * *

He takes that conversation with him. Rewinds the little bits and pieces of it.

Tries his best, not to linger too long on certain parts. For his sake, and his alone.

Her friendship has been one of the few joys of his life. A spot of light, amidst so much darkness.

And it’s enough. It _has_ to be.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment, leave your thoughts.


End file.
